We woke up today to the news that Moammar Qaddafi is reportedly dead, killed most likely by rebel forces. There are reports that he was found in a drainage pipe, and shouted, “don’t shoot” when discovered.

Of course, that was ignored, and it is widely believed that he was executed on the spot.

That seems the way of dealing with unsavory dictators. We have always done so historically, although I guess at times we have resorted to mock trials before the rope or firing squad was used.

It seems we make no progress. That Qaddafi was the author of much horror in the world is undoubtedly true. One would think however that taking satisfaction that he resided in a small cell for whatever time he has left would have been preferable. No more hair dye, no more fine wines or big screen television. The pound of flesh could have been savored one would think much more enjoyably rather than this quick dispatch.

But that is now how we function as humans. . .yet.

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Yes, I know, I changed the blog again. And before you ask, I don’t redecorate my house. I am not addicted to every passing fashion in shoes or clothes. WordPress has this pesky problem of introducing new themes every time one turns around (literally every week), and well I was never that happy with the last one. I thought the sidebar was unattractive. I rather liked the header, but I have to tell you a secret. If you noticed the date (September 9, 2009) you would realize that the picture was of a teabagger rally in Washington. I never realized it until later, and I just didn’t have the time to find another.

The header up now is of the Return to Sanity rally run by Jon Stewart, et al.

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You might well have missed this important notice. It seems that Marines in Afghanistan were formally advised that they should cease and desist farting in the country. It seems it is considered a serious rudeness among Afghans.

I must tell you that the Contrarian is making it very sure that he is not drafted by the Marines. Just in case any are lurking outside our house waiting to scurry him off to a recruiting center. No sir, he is unfit. He farts as often as possible throughout the day and night, just to be sure they are aware.

And you still doubt my application for sainthood?

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Did you hear that Pat Buchanan has a new book out? You should no doubt skip it. As one person said yesterday, Pat gets away with some pretty obvious racism in the name of “analysis.”

The idiot claims that somehow we were all much happier in the 50’s when we were united as “one people” with similar goals. Now we have that pesky “African-American” thing and well, all those people from the South (America that is) with their “otherness”.

I watched a bit of the festivities at the King Memorial this past weekend. I distinctly recall his children speaking. They rightly pointed out that their father would have supported the OWS movement. After all, he was assassinated while supporting union sanitation workers. Dr. King certainly understood the build in inequality of wealth distribution in this country. It is wildly worse now than it was in his day.

Yet, Adam West, (R-FL) all-around idiot, says nay. He claims that King would never have supported such detris as the OWS crowd. No, King was “divinely inspired” and wouldn’t be a part of such things.

I like to report on Ricky (Don’t Google me!) Santorum. He’s amusing as a little circus monkey. He has not a chance of securing the nomination, and no doubt he knows that, but he is bored, and he likes the free food offered along the campaign trail.

So Ricky, ever in the hopes of finding somebody to listen, decided to appeal to the tiniest tiniest segment of the Catholic church. Contraception! Ricky will have none of THAT in his administration (the one in his head, where he is grand pupah president). Because THAT leads to, you know, THAT, and we can’t have any of THAT now can we?

And unicorns will graze in meadows, and butterflies will bring you faery dust at bed time.

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Some folks need a time out, a brain roto-rootering, and a sedative. One of them is Jim DeMint. He’s an idiot. I think there is a certified letter to that effect.

He takes the collective IQ of South Carolina down a whole 17 points all by himself.

Welcome to Monday! Not so hot for those poor souls who have to work for a living, but hey for me, it’s pretty much the same as any other.

It’s threatening to rain, and has been all day so far. Guess we get to live with that possibility nearly all week. The lane is crap, I nearly didn’t get in from church.

We talk about what “line” to take through the mud holes. Who would have thought I would be ruled by such nonsense at age 60?

What happened to back out of the DRIVEWAY and go?

Our choices seem, sweltering or rain. Okay, you have your own troubles, so on with news:

I have to admit that I’ve struggled with forgiveness. I guess most of us do. I’ve never been faced with it with someone I couldn’t avoid generally most of the time. I don’t know how I would do with forgiving someone who seriously harmed me or mine. That’s the test. South Africa worked on forgiveness on a massive scale with “reconciliation” courts. Here’s a take on that subject regarding the genocide of Rwanda. Pretty deep thoughts, pretty important stuff. And it is deeply painful and haunting. Tread quietly here.

I’ve increasingly been disturbed by our Israeli policy as I’ve delved more deeply into the history of the Middle East. Contrary to the religious right who oft time support Israel as part of their belief that they are being “biblical” in doing so, I cannot find this a viable excuse. (Sen. Inhofe, I recently read suggested that politics should never play a part in our determination regarding Israel. Instead he claims, we are to ask, “Do we follow God or not?” He shall be forthwith called Crazy Inhofe on this blog). This disturbing (word of the day) report suggests that Obama would do well to be severely questioning of the motives of Mr. Netanyahu, who seems to think that manipulating the US government by lies is the preferred plan. No doubt he is heartened by the End Timers, even though they are only trying to bring forth the final battle of Armageddon upon Israel.

If you thought that there could be nothing interesting to read about the Periodic Table, think again. But then you gotta trust me. So trust me. Follow the link.

Nobody says it better than Elizabeth Kaeton in “Refutiate” Racism. All I can say is bravo!

Most of my blogging friends are way more talented than I. Witness this fine entry by OKJimm, who has come back with a vengeance with I Gotza Song….. It is so worth your while to go visit. If there are enough like Jim, then perhaps we will not leap into the abyss.

I’m thinking maybe we ought to have an ASS of the week award. But oh God, the entrants could collapse my inbox. But this one by Mariah Carey just might make the #1 spot any week:

Whenever I watch TV and see those poor starving kids all over the world, I can’t help but cry. I mean I’d love to be skinny like that, but not with all those flies and death and stuff.

Let’s start with a good story about the media’s failure to alert us on the cause of this war of choice in Iraq. Remember, they said, whatever it was about it was certainly not about oil. As we are now learning, and what some of us have always said, it was and is all about oil. Sorry to keep saying it, but it’s a truth that needs to be shouted around the land until everyone understands. Read Alternet‘s fine piece by Tom Engelhardt.

I find it amusing and frankly a little sad that a story I brought to you maybe two months ago is finally making it to the mainstream media. Congressional hearings regarding the ridiculous contracts issued to a 21-year old shyster for weaponry in Afghanistanhave finally turned on the lights of the media. Congress people are overtly shocked, and of course the military just blinks in confusion. “Why no, Mr. Waxman, no one has been fired.” It seem like an idea that has never crossed their useless minds.

Just a couple of days ago, we mentioned a new look at affirmative action directed at the poor in general instead of just a racial group. I don’t think this is what was in mind. It seems the Bushites, (oh this is nothing new of course) have been busily trying to stack the justice department with new recruits who are appropriately conservative both politically and ideologically. Of course, this grows out of the scandal of last year involving the firing of a number of Attorneys General of various places for not instituting prosecutions of Democrats as demanded by Bush and his minor-minded minions. Remember that many of the do-wrongers were from that bastion of Christian honesty, Liberty University run by the late Jerry Falwell. Thanks Blue Girl Red State.

Family values is kinda quiet as a topic this year. Probably because Old McBush has some issues that he probably would rather not have delved into too deeply. But I am constantly assaulted by the wingnut right with claims that there has been this deep and awful downturn in morality. And of course, back when “we were kids” things were ever so much different. Were they really? According to Britannica Blog, the answer would be NO. Promiscuity and out-of-wedlock children have been with us since time began pretty much, and mostly no body was all that concerned about it. Follow the link and read more.

I’ve been fairly ambivalent about a Obama/Clinton ticketfrankly, and thought there was little likelihood that it would happen. Arguments are being made however, that are more and more convincing that this is the safest way to go. It is I assume the ticket McMac and his hardy harbingers of hateful harangues wish least to see. I am concerned that McStupid will find a willing ear among just too many by playing the fear card. Ezra Klein has a good post, read it and see what you think.

It is undeniable that the “surge” in Iraq has had success in reducing violence. But exactly what kind of reduction is it? Mostly, at best, American troop level increases and new policies there are responsible for 1/4 of the new peacefulness. The rest is due to other factors which may change quickly and at a moment’s notice. Read another post from Ezra Klein for the explanation.

If I Ran the Zoohas a letter to “Cathy” explaining rather succinctly why a vote for McCain is simply wrong headed. I thought it said it all rather well, and figured you might like the talking points set down for you to use as you need with neighbors, co-workers, family and well anyone else you get a chance to convince.

I always hit the feed update on Inside Iraq with mixed feelings. I know I’m not likely to find a story that has any joy in it. And today, well, it’s no better. I hate these stories yet I insist you need to read them. You need to see what exactly it is like living in this war-torn region. Mostly you need to accept that this is your responsibility. It is our responsibility. We did this. We allowed this. We gave a jerk four more years to do four more years of this. Are we going to give another jerk another four years to do this?

Some question the Obama decision to campaign on a 50-state strategy. They see little reason to waste resources in states that he cannot possibly carry. However, first and foremost, the electoral map is changing, and assumptions cannot be drawn quite so simply as one might suspect. Moreover this requires McCain to respond and deplete his resources in places he would not ordinarily have to spend in. Most important, there are tons of very important local races that can be helped by Obama and may change in the long term the dynamics of that state’s political stance. Read about the strategy at MyDD.

It’s not unusual, we do this all the time. We did it in Dafur, we did it in Myanmar, we will undoubted do it again in Zimbabwe. What is it we will do? NOTHING. Other than a “dear me, you are terrible. This has got to stop. Mercy me, I may faint. ” It’s disgusting, it’s absurd, but we (internationally or otherwise) will do nothing. We have a long history of propping up dictatorships, as long as they are stable and don’t interfere with our plans you see.

Of course Bush and his joined at the hip granddad, old Johnny Mac are both calling fordrilling for oil off everybody’s shore line these days. Of course it will have zero impact on the price of gas and they know that. But it does sound good no? The Salon tells us the real story and why it is environmentally dangerous and politically unwise.

It’s Wednesday and that means Susan Posner has another of her insightful posts on Fundamentalist issues. Don’t miss her. Some very interesting topics today, including the weird state of Texas, Latino evangelicals, and more.

Oh, and just so you have no question. Johnny McBush is shouting for that off-shore drilling now, and well, could it be? Oh yes it could be, and it is. The Macster is beholden to big oil interests to the tune of 1MILLION dollars so far in campaign contributions. Worse yet of course is the fact that his lobbyist bloated campaign is also chock full of what? lobbyists who have lobbied for big oil. Read it at The Nation. And could it get worse? McMyster claims he actually knows off-shore drilling won’t garner any real help in the short term, but he claims it will be psychologically helpful! He said the same about the tax break at the gas pump thing too. No real help. Sorry dope, but I would like some real help, let me worry about my psychological state, thank you.

Everyone is talking about the skyrocketing prices of everything, especially food. The media, in it’s best, “we care about you” tradition is giving us all kinds of helpful hints on how to save (working five jobs is the only solution I see). Yet little time is spent on the real issue. how did this happen. If we are ever to get out of a hole of repeating the same mistakes, it might be very important to learn how we got here. Hint: look at where we buy our food! Read the story about Argentina in The New Republic.

See, this is what I don’t get. You have independent evidence that a program has zero effect on its target, and you continue funding it. That is what has happened in our knuckle headed Congress once again. Although it is proven by studies that abstinence only “sex” education doesn’t have ANY impact on kids sexual behavior, Congress has passed more funding for it in a Medicare spending bill. This when nearly 1/2 of all the states have already opted out of the program BECAUSE IT DOESN’T WORK, and another two are planning to. And there have been congressional hearings on this already. Don’t these fools even read anymore? Sad report from the Washington Independent.

We are starting to be a big fan of Michael Hart at Urantian SoJourn. He is witty, and dead on much of the time. Read his amusing and pointed remarks today in the post entitled “Dicking around at Dickapedia.” It’s about the third or fourth one down from the top on the main page. Still can’t activate any single posts.

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“An intellectual is a person who has discovered something more interesting than sex.” Aldous Huxley

“You have to know how to accept rejection and reject acceptance.” Ray Bradbury

“All paid jobs absorb and degrade the mind.” Aristotle

“If I had to live my life again, I’d make the same mistakes, only sooner.” Tallulah Bankhead

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It’s been very difficult for the firefighters to get things under control because the vegetation up in Northern California where the fires are is about 40% marijuana plants. So the poor crews, they’re supposed to be bringing in supplies, but they keep bringing in Doritos and chocolate milk shakes. And it’s not helping. Jimmy Kimmel

Don Imus claims his so-called racial remark about suspended Dallas Cowboys cornerback Adam Jones was just a sarcastic comment about the unfair treatment of blacks in the criminal justice system. This guy is so desperate, he was spotted after the show wearing an Afro wig and begging a black person to call him a “nappy-headed host.” Paul Seaburn

Regarding all the recent floods and overflowing levees: FEMA announced they are going to do much better this time, and by the end of this week plenty of food and rescue supplies will definitely arrive in New Orleans. – Janice Hough, Palo Alto, Calif.

John McCain says that if elected president, he will give a $300 million prize to anyone who can design a new car battery. McCain can get a new type of battery invented because he’s the guy that came up with the idea of not cranking the car up at the start. Craig Ferguson